~ capturing my families' memories

The Old Iron Forge

Ever the story teller, my great Uncle Leonard Lineberry, shared some old family stories one day when he was visiting his siblings in Oklahoma City during the late 1980s. Uncle Leonard, who lived most of his life in Carroll County, Virginia, was very interested in genealogy and the Lineberry history. The story of the old iron forge and Jacob P. Lineberry (1806-1887) is one of several we hear on a 36 minute audio recording made during his visit. (To hear the full 36 minute audio recording by Leonard, click the mp3 image at the end of this post.)

This Jacob, then, had an old iron forge down on Crooked Creek near his home and they would be down in this county with their ox wagon and dig out this very low grade iron ore and evidently this forge, there on the Crooked Creek, was in operation probably before 1850. They headed down across the creek there these large timbers were operated by water power and, of course they go down in this county there it must have been a distance of 30 or 40 miles and dig this old ore out, it was pretty close to the surface. Dig it out by hand, load it up in those wagons and bring it on up to there to the forge. Then they would go up in the hills and cut down oak trees and split the wood and stand it up on end then begin to burn it. When it began to burn they would cover it up earth so it would burn into charcoal and they would use that as their fuel. Smelting ore. When it was melted and everything they’d get it out there and use, use those hammers one of them weighed 700 pounds and the other one 350 pounds and the water powered would bring those hammers up got up so high and down they would they would come down on this iron beat them out shapes, desired shapes they would like. People would come in from miles around with their oxen and horses and everything just to see the operation of this because it was such an unusual operation and something new that the people around had never seen anything like. Of course, when they’d go up to that hit that hot iron sparks would fly all of the tar nation and scare man and best alike.

During the Civil War they were conscripted to make iron to a certain specifications for the Confederate forces then after they were made them they had to put them on the wagon and carry them in to work a distance of some 40 to 50 miles, they had to go and had cross the river, a New River, and geologists tell us that New River is the world’s second oldest river, cross that river on a plank head over to the railroad station there in ?, the nearest railroad.

…a few years after the Civil War in the year of 1877, came a large flood down there and washed all the dam away and those 2 hammers down the creek and they stayed there until WWII when a cousin, Ernest Lineberry, got them out and sold as scrap iron. Wouldn’t they have been a fine addition to any museum. I don’t know how they got them out but they did and sold them for scrap iron.

The entire 36 minute audio may be heard by clicking the mp3 image below:

Here’s the link to download the transcript of the audio, in pdf. If you notice errors or if you can understand some of the parts that I could not, please let me know.

I have just begun verifying the information within this audio and have been able to verify several of the facts. I have not found information on a water-powered iron forge. However, Wesley Bird Lineberry, son of this Jacob, said in one of his letters that he was “born in Carroll County, Virginia near the old ‘Lineberry Forge’ on Crooked Creek, February 15, 1845″. I have found that there were many forges, Lineberry mines and mills but as of yet I haven’t found this mentioned. If anyone has information on this please let me know. When I learn more, I’ll update this post.

Update 10/20/09:

Another of Jacob’s great, great grandson’s, Tom, provided the following information: Jacob IV (who married Piety Smith) is listed in the 1870 Carroll County census as a hammerer of iron. The old forge was located on lower Crooked Creek at Hebron. Some of the locals indicate that they know the exact spot apparently there is nothing there now. Two of the Old Forge hammers are located in the Harmon Museum in Woodlawn, Virginia along with a lock chain they state was made there. The hammers appear to weigh between 200 and 500 lbs. The following comment is found with the hammers in Harmon’s Museum: ‘The Lineberry’s were early settlers on Chestnut and Crooked Creeks. About 1810 they built the Lineberry Forge and Blacksmith Shop on lower Crooked Creek. The family operated it for many years. These hammers were found near the sight of the old forge.’

am very interested in the lineberry family history as i am the great grandson of wesley bird lineberry of missouri. born in missouri i presently reside in arkansas and would like to visit the old forge location in virginia. this is the first reference i have found with information on the forge. thank you charlie

If I’m not mistaken there used to be an area called Copper’s Hill in the Hebron section. My husband’s grandfather (Garnett Lineberry) had land in that area. My husband said that a couple of his brothers found the forges in the creek and I think they are in the Harmon’s museum. Copper’s Hill is now a gated housing development.

I am the grand son of John Wesley Lineberry and the greatgrand of Wesley Bird Lineberry. We are part of the Missouri branch of the family tree. hope you will keep me informed of the location of the old forges as i am very interested. We have a considerable amount of info on the Missouri and Oklahoma Lineberrys.

I was correct that a couple of the iron forges are located in the Harmon Museum. Right now they are located under the pictures of the Lineberrys with chains wrapped around them. Two of my brother in laws pulled them out of the creek. They used to have a favorite swimming hole in Crooked Creek and they found them one day while swimming. Charlie – Harmon’s has a picture of your great grandfather Wesley Bird and his family.

yes i have that picture of wesley birds family plus some others. my father remembered wesley when he was a child and spoke of him and his beard. i have some pictures of his decendants and was raised in the brookfield marceline area where he settled and finally died. i knew all of his decendents and children as well as many of the cousins, he settled in north missouri after the civil war experience apparently because they had a Lineberry relative that was yankee there. the whole thing is a wonderful story to be part of. these old people i recall as a child were the typical decendants of the old clan with the stiff collars and the corney jokes. we would go over to my grandfathers place and have dinner with the clan. they weren’t much fun to tell the truth. serious all the way unlike my irish mothers side. our family is all engineers which harkens from the old forge days. would love to visit the museum if there are some things ther that are for real. e mail me at clberry@lytec_tn.com. i would love to expand on this.

p.s. looked up harmon on the map and have been near there a few times. have a brother who is in to this family tree thing in tennessee.

I just live maybe 10 minutes from Harmon Museum and when I have some free time I can go in there and take a picture of the iron forges and can send them to you if you could provide me with an email or someplace to send them to.

I live 5 minutes from the old forge…played there as a kid. .loved the story. ..There is a few remnants still there. .but is owned by some other fine people that I have Met…my great grandfather is earnest lineberry..my grandmother was ethel lineberry. Absolutely love the history. ..just read the story today. .

I published a book this year and the first chapters are about the Missouri Lineberry’s Wesley and family. It’s available on amazon and is titled “MARCELINE” by Lineus Berry. I am a great grandson of Wesley. You might enjoy it. Charlie Lineberry

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Delving into family stories, documents and photos is what I enjoy! Relative Storyboard: capturing family memories, is my blog where I share and encourage discussion about my findings. Often I only have tidbits of information that I piece together in hopes that one day I'll have a more complete storyboard.
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